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佛教禪修傳統:比較與對話—2014國際研討會論文集
Buddhist Meditative Traditions: Dialogue and Comparison

作者:莊國彬 主編

出版社:法鼓文化

出版日期:2016年06月01日

語言:繁體中文

系列別:法鼓文理學院論叢

規格:平裝 / 21x15 cm / 328頁 / 單色印刷

商品編號:1111180031

ISBN:9789575987145

定價:NT$420

會員價:NT$328 (78折)

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Role of Personality in the Practice of Meditation  Mahesh A. Deokar

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Abstract

The Buddhist meditation is becoming popular world-wide. Many meditation masters are teaching samatha and Vipassan? practice by following different methods in accordance with their own traditions. Although people at large benefit from these different meditation methods, the benefits are not the same for all. Some meditators are able to attain higher stages of meditative practice and thereby develop further interest in it whereas others fail to make satisfactory progress in their practice and eventually being disappointed with the path turn away from it. It is pertinent to ask in this regard: Why do the benefits of meditation practice differ from person to person? Is this difference correlated to meditator's personality? Some psychologists have carried out empirical research in this regard. Their research has supported the hypothesis that the differential benefits of meditators depend on their personality. Those meditators having much mental hindrances are unable to concentrate their mind and reflect on the object of meditation whereas others with good mental capacity and less mental hindrances are able to do so with much ease.

It is mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures that the Buddha laid down the meditation method for the benefit of disciples in accordance with their disposition, intention, personality, and mental faculty. Mas-ters such as A?vagho?a and Buddhaghosa have explained in detail how an aspirant meditator in accordance with his personality should take a suitable meditation object from his meditation master and how he should cultivate the mind constantly observing the occasionally arising dull or overactive state of mind. Unfortunately, all these aspects important from the point of meditator's progress seem to have been forgotten in the modern era of organized mass meditation training programmes. The present paper proposes that it is possible to use the traditional Buddhist wisdom about human personality to organise meditation retreats in a better manner so that its benefits can reach more and more people.

In the initial part of the paper, the Buddhist understanding of hu-man personality, its types and its correlation to a meditation-object and surrounding conditions is discussed. The Buddhist notion of Per-sonality is closely associated with behaviour or behavioural pattern of a person. It is a habitual disposition that develops through repeated actions. There are six basic types of personality and persons described in the texts. The past deeds and associated states such as passion are considered to be the causes responsible for the present personality. It has been recommended that before prescribing a meditation object a meditation master should identify the personality-type of a disciple by questioning, discourse, observing the manner of carrying out day-to-day activities, and telepathic knowledge. The suitability of a particular object of meditation and external conditions depends on their ability of opposing unwholesome states and supporting faith and intelligence.

In the last part of the paper, the role of personality with respect to the progress of the meditation practice is dealt with. The Visuddhi-magga describes different modes of meditation practice as per one's personality type. In the Saundarananda mah?k?vya, A?vagho?a has proposed the application of alternative modes of meditation as per one's state of mind on a given occasion. According to the Pe?ako-padesa, personality plays an important role in determining the pro-gress and achievements of a meditator. The paper concludes by mak-ing a few suggestions for overcoming the shortcomings in the struc-ture of modern meditation training.

Keywords: Personality, disposition, Buddhist meditation, Buddhist psychology